Description
Indulge in the delightful flavors of this Cranberry Orange Cake, where tangy cranberries meet the bright zest of oranges. This moist and fluffy dessert boasts a luscious orange cream cheese frosting that perfectly complements its sweet-tart profile, making it an ideal treat for any occasion—from festive holiday gatherings to cozy family dinners. With straightforward instructions and minimal ingredients, even novice bakers can create this stunning cake that not only tastes amazing but also looks beautiful on any dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened (226g)
- 2 cups sugar (400g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream (242g)
- ⅓ cup juice from approx. one medium-sized orange
- 3 Tablespoons orange zest (or zest from 2–3 oranges)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 Tablespoon orange extract (10g)
- 3 cups cake flour (plain in the UK) (342g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (7g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 1 cup cranberries, sliced into pieces (90g)
- Orange coloring gel to tint the batter (optional)
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries (180g)
- ¾ cup sugar (150g)
- ¾ cup water (180g)
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened (339g)
- 16 oz cream cheese (total weight 452g), preferably full fat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (4g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
- 7 cups confectioners' sugar, adjust slightly up or down to your liking (805g)
- Orange coloring gel (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8×2 inch round cake pans.
- Prepare cranberries by chopping them into small pieces and rinsing them.
- In a bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix sour cream, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and orange extract in another bowl.
- Beat softened butter until smooth; gradually add sugar and mix until fluffy.
- Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter mixture.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the batter until just combined. Fold in chopped cranberries.
- Divide batter among prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes before frosting with orange cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 37g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg